Process of removing shells from cocoanuts



F. BAKER, 1R., AND S. COOPER.

-PRocEss or REMovlNG sHELLs FROM cocoANuTs. APPLICATION FILED AUG|2IIy |917. RENEWED AUG. 30 I9I8. Lgyg.

SATES omer.

FRANKLIN BAKER, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SIMON COOPER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THE FRANKLIN BAKER COMPANY, OF PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF REMOVING SHELLS FROM COCOAN UTS.

reside-5e.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une '7, 1921.

Application 'led August 21, 1917, Serial No. 187,351. Renewed August 30, 1918. Serial No. 252,121.

Improvedrocess of Removing Shells from Cocoanuts, of which the following is a. specification.

Our invention relates to the shelling of cocoanuts, and it comprises an improved method or process for facilitating the removal of the shells of cocoanuts Without injury to' the meat or kernel of the same, and whereby the latter can be readily removed for any desired purpose or subsequent use.

It has long been the practice to break the shells with a hammer or similar tool, and machines have been proposed for cracking the shell by blows imparted by various means; all of which operations, however, are relatively slow and inefficient. In addltion, by reason of the fact that a relatively thick membrane or skin lies between the shell and the kernel, considerable difficulty is experienced in removing the shell after it has lbeen cracked.

Our invention is based upon the discovery that by subjecting the shell 'to a very high temperature for a very brief period of time, such shell is rendered brittle and can be more easily broken away from the kernel or meat; either by application of a suitable tool lor by the act of causing one nut to strike another upon rotating the same in a rumble or other suitable machine.

In subjecting'the cocoanuts to a high degree of heat, it is possible that some destructive distillation of the volatile elements in the shell may occur, but in no instance does the heat affect the kernel; no rise in temperature of the milk within the kernel being perceptible in practice.

In carrying our invention into effect, we prefer to heat the cocoanut in a non-oxidizing medium, since by such procdure we avoid burningthe cocoanut or injuring 1n any way the meat or kernel of the nut.

As illustrating means which may be employed in carrying out our process, refernal sectional vlew of a heating apparatus l with conveying means combined therewith.

In this structure, 1 represents a spout to whlch cocoanuts may be delivered;y such spout having a rotating valve 2 arranged to a ccommodate one nut at la time, and re# celvlng the same when its open mouth is rotated past the open spout 1. Continued rotation of the valve 2 will deliver the nuts, indicated at 8, to an inclined passage 4 from which they maybe discharged to a helical track 5 formed on the inside of a rotatable cylinder 6. The cylinder carries at one end a shaft 7 forming an axial support at said end, while at the opposite end the cylinder may be flanged at 8 and adapted to turn on rollers 9 suitably journaled in the front frame or housing 10 of the apparatus. The rear housing 11 contains a bearing 7L for the shaft 7, which has at its outer end a beveled gear 12 meshing with a bevel pinion 12a on a driving shaft 13. This shaft carries a pulley 14 over which passes a belt 15 to a pulley 16 carried by the valve 2 and by means of which the latter is driven. Surrounding said rotatable cylinder is a fur-v nace 17 of fire brick, which may have burners for using gas or oil fuel whereby the cylinder may be suiiiciently heated to perform the desired function of charring the shells of the nuts.

The rear housing 11y has a downwardly depending extension 11a having its open mouth immersed in a liquid bath 18 contained within a vessel 19 so that nuts carriedforwardb the helical track of the cylinder may be ischarged into said liquid bath without coming into contact with the atmosphere. x,The rotating valve 2 at the receiving end of the structure is air-tight to insure a non-oXidizing medium within the furnace; excluding all air from the furnace except that entering with the nuts.

In practice it has been found that by proper regulation of the time period of the application of the intense heat to the cocoanuts, vapor or steam will be generated in the pulpy skin between the shell and the kernel; effecting a substantial cooking of the pulpy skin and at the Sametime destroying the natural bond between the kernel and the shell so that the latter may be readily removed when it is cracked or broken.

The ltemperature to Awhich the nut is subjected causes rapid and intense evolution of any volatile matter in the shell, and this heating is always under conditions which exclude oxygen 1n order to prevent burning of the kernel. It is desirable to arrest the heating of the cocoanut at the proper moment, which may be when steam or Vapor is generated in the pulpy lining of the shell, and as soon as this occurs the nuts are immediately passed to al bath of cool liquid. Upon removal from this bath after the heating described, the shell will be foundto have lost its elasticity, and to have become exceedingly brittle, readily cracked or chipped, and removable by any mechanical means or by tumbling the nuts together in a suitable rumbling machine; al condition enhanced by the lack of adhesion existing between the inner surface of the shell, the pulpy layer, and the surface of the kernel.

The heat necessary to insure proper action upon the shell of the nut, whether it effects destructive distillation of such shell or not, may be within quite a range of temperatures, from a dull red heat to a'bright white heat,

and the period of time in whichthe nut is subjected to the necessary heat is determined by the speed at which the heat penetrates the shell to the pulpy lining. During such heating, the pulpy lining between the shell and the kernel or meat of the nut acts-V to insulate such meat from the intense heat; thereby preventing any heating of the meat and insuring maintenance of the same in its original condition.

We claim:

1. The process which comprises subjecting whole nuts to the influence of a temperature so extreme and for a time sufficient to loosen -the bond between shell and kernel without. discoloring the meat of the kernel or destroying its integrity, composition and edible quality, and so as to render the shell more readily frangible, suddenly arresting the extreme temperature action, and removing the shell.

2. The process which comprises subjecting whole nuts tothe action of heat intense enough and for a time brief enough to loosen the bond between the shell and the kernel without discoloring the meat of the kernel or destroying its integrity, composition and edible quality, and so as to render the shell more readily frangible, suddenly arresting the heat action, and removing the shell.

3. The process which comprises subjecting whole nuts, in a non-oxidizing medium to the action of heat intense enough and for a time brief enough to loosen the bond between the shell and the kernel without discoloring the meat of the kernel or destroying its integrity, composition and edible quality, and so as to render the shell more readily frangible, suddenly arresting the heat action7 and removing the shell.

4. The rocess of removing the -shells of edible nuts, which comprises rendering the resaca@ oil-bearing nuts, which comprises subjecting whole oil-bearing nuts to a high temperature in a non-oxidizing medium, arresting the heat action before it affects the kernel, and then breaking said shells.

7. The process of treating oil-bearing nuts for the purpose of removing the shells there` from, which comprises moving the nuts through a non-oxidizing medium at high temperature, arresting the' heat action before it afects the kernel, and then breaking the she 8. The process of treating oil-bearing nuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises moving the nuts through a non-oxidizing medium at high temperature, arresting the heat action before it affects the kernel y immersing the nuts in a cooling liquid, and then breaking the shells.

9. The process of removing cocoanut shells, which comprises heating whole cocoanuts to render the vshell brittle, suddenly arresting the heating action upon the shell, without otherwise impairing their integrity, and then breaking said shell.

10. The process of removing cocoanut shells, which comprises subjecting whole cocoanuts to a temperature sufliciently high to render the shell brittle without otherwise impairing their integrity and without affecting the kernel, suddenly arresting the heating action upon the shell, and then breaking said shell.

11. rlhe process of removing cocoanut shells, which comprises subjecting whole cocoanuts to a high temperature for a brief period of time suilicient to render the shell brittle without affecting the kernel, immersing the shell in a bath of cool liquid to arrest further action of the heat upon the shell and prevent the heat reaching the kernel, and then breaking said shell. 12. rThe process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises subjecting whole cocoanuts to a high temperature in a nonoxidizing medium, and arresting the heat action before it affects the kernel.

13. rllhe process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises subjecting the cocoaand kernel, arresting `ing nuts medium, and arresting the heat action before it affects the kernel by immersing the cocoanuts in a bath of cool liquid.

14. The process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells there-.

from, which comprises subjecting whole cocoanuts to a oxidizing medium for a brief period of time; such temperature removing the volatile matter of the shell and generating steam or vapor in the pulpy lining between the shell and kernel, and arresting the heat action by immersing the nuts in a bath of cool liquid. 15. The process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises subjecting whole cocoanuts to a high temperature in a nonoxidizing medium for a brief period of time; such temperature removing the volatile matter of the shell and generating steam or vapor in the pulpy lining between the shell the heat action by immersing the nuts in a bath of cool liquid, and

to a high temperature in a non-oxidizhigh temperature in a nonfinally tumbling th@ cocoanuts to break the shell therefrom.v

16. The process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises driving olf volatile matter of the shell by the application of an intense temperature in a non-oxidizing medium in order to reduce the structural strength of the shell, and suddenly arresting the reduction of strength by subjecting the cocoanut to a liquid bath. 35

17. The process of treating cocoanuts for the purpose of removing the shells therefrom, which comprises subjecting the cocoanuts to an intensely high temperature in a non-oxidizing medium whereby volatile matter of the shell is driven off and the structural strength of the shell reduced, and Suddenly arresting the heat action before it afects the kernel by immersing the cocoanuts in a bath of cool liquid.A

FRANKLIN BAKER, JR. siMoN COOPER. 

